Book end



Jan. 5, 1954 SOOTER 2,665,010

- BOOK END Filed July 2, 1951 /0 yce/Z9aofar as, a z y I I 3:-" 9 z: W

Patented Jan. 5, 1954 BOOK END Joyce M. Sooter, Winfield, Kans.

Application July 2, 1951, Serial No. 234,728

1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to book ends, and more particularly to elastic means, such as rubber bands or cords, for connecting the book ends together at the base, whereby it is possible to dispense with the lip that extends under the book and at the same time make the book ends of lighter and more attractive material, since the rubber bands prevent the books from slipping out of place, and it is therefore no longer necessary to depend on weight for this result.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel means for connecting the elastic elements to the book ends.

With the foregoing and other objects in view that will appear as the nature of my invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only and are therefore not drawn to scale:

Figure 1 is a side view, illustrating the application of my invention to a pair of wooden book ends.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section, taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section, taken on line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary view of the inner face of one of the book ends and associated parts, and

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the attaching elements for the elastic connecting means.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of my invention, and in which drawings like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the several views, A designates the wooden book ends, B the elastic means for connecting the book ends together at the base and C the attaching elements for the ends of the elastic connecting means.

The elastic connecting means B is preferably in the form of two or more rubber bands I, and the attaching elements C for the elastic connecting means preferably constructed from wire rods, each comprising a straight elongated body portion 2 formed at its outer end with a U-shaped hook 3, and at its inner end with a right-angularly bent handle 4. The body portions 2 of the attaching elements C slidably fit in corresponding openings 5 in the base of the wooden book ends A, and the hooks 3 are adapted to receive the corresponding ends of the rubber bands I. The handles 4 normally seat in the right-angle grooves 6 in the bottom surface of the book ends. The right-angle grooves 6 consist of the straight outer members I and the straight transverse inner members 8, formed at their outer ends with the finger receiving recesses 9.

In practice, to connect the ends of the rubber bands I to the hooks 3, the finger nail is engaged under the outer end of the handle 4 and the latter swung into a perpendicular position. The handle 4 is then pushed to the outer end of the outer portion 1 of the right-angled groove 6, which causes the outer end of the body portion 2 and hook 3 to extend beyond the book supporting side wall of the book end, as shown in the dotted line position of Figure 4. The ends of the rubber bands I are then engaged with the hooks 3, and the handles 4 pushed backwardly to the inner ends of the outer portions 7 of the right-angled grooves 6 and swung upwardly until seating in the inner portions 8 of the latter.

In this way, the ends of the rubber bands are securely attached to the book ends, but may be replaced by new bands in the event of breakage. The outer ends of the outer portions 1 of the right-angled grooves 6 are formed with annular recesses ID to accommodate the hooks 3 and ends of the rubber bands.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a pair of book ends, each formed in its base with a right-angled groove and with a transverse opening extending from one portion of said groove and terminating in an annular recess, elastic bands detachably connecting the book ends together at their bases, attaching elements for detachably securing the ends of the elastic bands to the book ends, said elements comprising wire rods slidably mounted in said transverse openings and formed at their outer ends with U-shaped hooks normally seating in said annular recesses and at their inner ends with right-angularly bent handles normally seating in the other portions of said right-angled grooves, said handles being adapted to be swung into a position perpendicular to the bases of the book ends to permit sliding movement of the attaching wire rods to a position in which the U-shaped hooks lie outside the annular recesses.

JOYCE M. SOOTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 584,906 Tribolet June 22, 1897 633,416 Beaulieu Sept. 19, 1899 2,096,634 Gilbert Oct. 19, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 507,354 Great Britain June 14, 1939 

